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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying: |
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| 2 Hallow to me every firstborn, that which any female first beareth, among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts,–mine, it is. |
All the firstborn – Afterwards these first-born ones were represented by the tribe of Levi. R1657:2
Typifying the Church only; not our Lord Jesus. Q524:6
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| 3 And Moses said unto the people–[Ye are] to remember this day, on which ye came forth out of Egypt, out of the house of slaves, that, with strength of hand, did Yahweh bring you forth from hence,–there shall not, therefore, be eaten anything leavened. |
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| 4 Today, are, ye, coming forth,–in the month Abib. |
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| 5 And it shall be, when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite, and the Hivite and the Jebusite, which he sware to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, then shalt thou serve with this service, in this month. |
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| 6 Seven days, shalt thou eat unleavened cakes,–and, on the seventh day, [shall be] a festival to Yahweh. |
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| 7 Unleavened cakes, shall be eaten for the seven days,–neither shall there be seen with thee anything leavened, nor shall there be seen with thee leaven, within any of thy bounds. |
There be leaven – Symbol of corruption, sin. R5192:4, R2022:4, R2635:1; F464; T98
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| 8 And thou shalt tell thy son, on that day, saying,–[This is], because, of that which Yahweh did for me, when he brought me forth out of Egypt. |
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| 9 And it shall be to thee for a sign upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, in order that the law of Yahweh may be in thy mouth,–for, with a strong hand, did Yahweh bring thee forth out of Egypt. |
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| 10 So shalt thou observe this statute, in its appointed time,–from year to year. |
Year to year – Our Lord altered the manner, but not the time; and, as he has not altered the time, we dare not. It is our privilege to observe the anniversary. R803:2
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| 11 And it shall be, when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, as he sware to thee and to thy fathers,–and shalt give it thee, |
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| 12 that thou shalt set apart whatsoever is born first, to Yahweh; and, of all firstlings of beasts which thou shalt have, the males, shall pertain to Yahweh. |
That openeth the matrix – In conformity with this, the mother of Jesus presented him in consecration. (Luke 2:21-23) Q757:5
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| 13 But, every firstling of an ass, shalt thou redeem with a lamb or, if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck,–but, every firstborn of men among thy sons, shalt thou redeem. |
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| 14 And it shall be, when thy son shall ask thee, in time to come, saying, What is this? Then shalt thou say unto him: With strength of hand, did Yahweh bring us forth out of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. |
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| 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had shown himself too hardened to let us go, then did Yahweh slay every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of men, even unto the firstborn of beasts. For this cause, am, I, sacrificing to Yahweh whatsoever is born first, of the males, and, every firstborn of my sons, must I redeem. |
All the firstborn – Only the first-born was in danger, typifying that in the present time only the Church of the first-born has sufficient knowledge to be in danger of Second Death. R3995:5
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| 16 And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes,–that, with strength of hand, did Yahweh bring us forth out of Egypt. |
Frontlets – A phylactery, a little square leather box, containing four passages of Scripture. R4053:1
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| 17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead by the land-way of the Philistines, although it was, near,–for God said–Lest the people be dismayed when they see war, and turn back to Egypt. |
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| 18 So God took the people round the desert-way of the Red Sea,–and the sons of Israel went up, armed, out of the land of Egypt. |
Way of the wilderness – The best of three roads for them, leading through the wild mountain regions of Sinai. R5277:3
Went up harnessed – In military order, either five abreast or in five companies. R2919:2
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| 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph, with him,–for he had, taken an oath, of the sons of Israel, saying, God will, surely visit, you, so then ye shall carry up my bones from hence, with you. |
The bones of Joseph – Israel hoped for a resurrection from the tomb and hence they were particular in caring for the corpses of their dead. R2601:6
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| 20 And they brake up from Succoth,–and encamped in Etham, at the edge of the desert. |
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| 21 Now, Yahweh, was going before them–by day, in a pillar of cloud to lead them the way, and, by night, in a pillar of fire to give them light,–that they might journey day and night: |
Pillar of a cloud – Shielding us from the things that would be too trying for us. R4029:6
Affording them a measure of shelter from the heat of the sun. R3997:2
The Lord's providences guide us and shelter us from the heat of persecution. R3997:3
To lead them the way – The leading of divine providence is ours until we pass over Jordan into heavenly Canaan. R3997:3
Only when they finally crossed Jordan into Canaan was this phenomenon discontinued. R3997:2
A pillar of fire – Enlightenment in darkness and God's keeping, protecting power. R4029:6
To give them light – At other times, the Lord's providences enlighten us in dark seasons. R3997:3
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| 22 the pillar of cloud by day ceased not, nor the pillar of fire by night,–from before the people. |
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